Judy Garland "Fandom" – Part 3 – Final

Obviously, Max was not very pleased with my testy email. Here’s what he responded with:

Before you give advice, perhaps you should tone down *your* bitchiness.

I have spent the last 25 years of my life promoting producgt. The labels give me things *in advance* because they know I *do* get the word out and that it goes to a *specific audience* IN ADVANCE. *Every* CASTRECL message says at the bottom: DO NOT FORWARD WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE POSTER. If people didn’t, I wouldn’t have to alter information to track where it goes. But most of it *doesn’t* turn up on public
websites.

I only saw the CLASSIC MUSICALS posting on your website TODAY, when I was told to “take a look” at the boxed set faux art AND your comments.

Max

I guess since he’s spent the last 25 years of his life promoting “producgt”, I should listen! “Do Not Forward Without Permission Of The Poster”?? I guess that means I should check with him first before I forward to my friends who are not list whores and don’t care to be a part of “groups” or “lists”?

This was too good to pass up. I know I said I’d stop, but I just had to respond:

LOL!

So someone might forward “your” information on to even MORE FOLKS in that “specific audience” without a “The Lord On High Max Deemed It So” disclaimer? Oh my God! Stop the presses! The world will end!!! Pandemonium in the world of “Judy Fandom”!

Geez Max, get over it! You’re sounding more and more like Faye Dunaway as “Joan Crawford” in “Mommie Dearest” with each email. We’re not talking about the secrets to the atomic bomb here! It’s Judy Garland DVD information!

I wonder how WHV would react if they knew that you’re altering their stuff just out of your own possessive issues? But don’t worry, I won’t tell them! 🙂

Thanks though, I really needed that laugh.

And for the record, you get what you ask for. I was simply responding to the tone and tenor in all of your emails – caps and all.

George is a lucker [he means lurker] on CASTRECL, and has thanked me for fixing some of the press department’s typos/errors.

I’m waiting for that “last email.”

By “George” he means “George Feltenstein” – the SVP of Classics over at Warner Home Video, and the person who sends this information to Max hot off the presses. I still wonder what they would think if they knew he was not only altering their press releases, but badgering and harassing people for forwarding that information on to other potential buyers of their product? Regardless of one SVP’s apparent approval.

So I sent:

LOL!

*last one*

🙂

And that was it. Max had the last word:

We’ll see. 🙂

Then later a final email from Max, one that I didn’t respond to. For me the issue was dead. The game was over. It was the end of the day (yes, this all happened in one day). I was tired and going home – no more play for Scott:

One of your friends, no doubt. A REAL classy group.

Max

—– Original Message —–

From: [email removed]

To: [email removed]

Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 6:12 PM

Subject: (no subject)

Max, honey,

Get the fuck OVER yourself!

Love,

Eric [last name removed]

After that, I haven’t heard anything. Perhaps he’s moved on to the person who really did forward “his” information. Or maybe he decided to harass the person who posted that photo on the Home Theater Forum – the one that started this whole mess.

What’s most telling about all of this, and in keeping with the whole issue of “ownership” that these folks like Max have, is his comment about forwarding to a “specific audience” in advance of the mere mortals out there – and his anger when his actions are usurped. Again, his whole problem is the fact that he can no more control the flow of information solely to a “specific audience”. This is also in keeping with that strange hierarchy of “fandom”, which is becoming a thing of the past thanks to the Internet: A few self-appointed “experts” deciding what happens and when. The folks like Max – and there are several others out there – are unable to cope with this new age of everyone being so connected with everyone else. We’re seeing this a lot lately, these “experts” getting on discussion groups and being combative and downright mean. All a result of bruised egos and slipping control. It’s fascinating to watch.

Personally, I love this new age! Thanks to the Internet we all can communicate and share our own knowledge with each other. We’re not dependent on just a few people to give out information. Now we have auction sites like eBay were we can find tons of great collectibles at prices much cheaper than in the days we were dependent on traveling to specialty stores. Collectors used to charge top dollar to fellow fans for poor to horrible quality copies of video and audio performances. Now a new younger generation of fans are sharing this, and more, readily and eagerly with each other. And usually for free! And they’re able to use out technology to improve the quality. We all benefit from this. After all – for me anyway – it really boils down to the enjoyment of Judy Garland’s performances. As long as I can enjoy Judy’s genius whether on CD or DVD, then the rest of the “drama” about who got what info out first, or who knows more trivia than the next person, is immaterial. And that’s how it should be.

I’m sure I’ll still get harassed by these folks from time to time, and again probably over nothing. That’s what comes with having a popular website. What amazes me, and it shouldn’t since it happens with such frequency, is how these people fire off bitchy emails then act all offended when you feed it right back to them. As I told Max: WEIRD!

I would like to point out that the good far outweighs the bad. Thanks to The Judy Room, and some of the discussion groups out there, I’ve made wonderful new friends and have learned so much. I’ve learned more about the amazing life and career of Judy Garland, as well as the amazing world of “fandom”. But it’s the wonderful people whom I would never have come into contact with if not for The Judy Room. For that, I’m grateful.